Working Holiday

International Experience Canada (IEC)’s Working Holiday category does not require a job offer and allows applicants to work anywhere in Canada for any employer for a specific period of time. Some permits may be issued for six months or up to two years. For those applying under this program, they cannot be accompanied by a spouse or dependent children, although they may be able to join you in Canada later. This program targets younger applicants looking to gain international work experience, experience in their field, or who want to earn some extra cash while travelling through Canada.

Young Professionals

International Experience Canada (IEC)’s Young Professionals category allows applicants are to apply for an employer-specific work permit to help them gain professional work experience in Canada. This category is designed for post-secondary graduates who have a signed offer of employment and contract of employment from a Canadian employer. The job must be in their field of expertise (through schooling or work experience) and contribute to their professional development. The work must be paid and cannot be self-employment.

International Co-op

International Experience Canada (IEC)’s International Co-op allows applicants to apply for an employer-specific work permit to help them gain experience in their field of study. This category is designed for applicants who are enrolled at a post-secondary institution and have a signed offer of employment and contract of employment from a Canadian employer. Applicants must be registered students for the duration of the internship. Applicants must want to complete the work placement/internship in Canada in order to fulfill part of their academic curriculum.

Valid Passport for the full duration of your work permit.

Copy of your CV or Resume.

Digital photo of yourself.

Police clearances for every country you have spent six months in a row or longer since the age of 18.

Proof of medical examination if you have lived in a certain country for six months or longer in the year preceding your entry into Canada.

Biometrics will need to be completed at your closest Canadian Visa Application Centre after you have submitted your application. You will be sent a letter confirming when you need to complete these. This will cost $85.00

Express Entry

The Express Entry system is a file management system used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for certain immigration applications. The Express Entry system is used by anyone seeking to immigrate to Canada as a Federal Skilled Worker, Federal Skilled Tradesperson, member of the Canadian Experience Class or certain Provincial Nominee programs. If you do not meet the requirements of one of those four programs, you will not be eligible to use the Express Entry system.

Provincial Nominee

For those individuals who may need additional points for the Express Entry System, Provincial Nominations can add 600 points to their score. Most Provincial programs require a job offer , while some will select individuals without a job offer if their skills are in demand in that specific Province or if their Comprehensive Ranking System score is high enough.

Canadian Experience Class

The Canadian Experience Class is for those who have previously worked in Canada, on a valid work permit, in a skilled occupation for one year or longer on a full-time paid basis in the past three years and are proficient in English or French.

Federal Skilled Trades

The Federal Skilled Trades program requires applicants to either have a full-time paid job offer in their skilled trade in Canada or they need to physically travel to Canada to write a Canadian Red Seal examination before they would be eligible to apply under this program. This program also uses the Express Entry system and would require applicants to be proficient in English or French.

Federal Skilled Worker

The first, and most popular option for those looking to immigrate to Canada is the Federal Skilled Worker program which uses the Express Entry System. This program is designed for those who have at least one year of full-time paid work experience in any country in the world and can score high enough on the Federal Skilled Worker points system. The points system looks at age, completed education, language abilities in English and French, full-time paid work experience and previous work or study experience in Canada, or if you have any direct relatives living in Canada. This program does not require a job offer.

Business Programs

For those who have an entrepreneurial background and are looking to start a business in Canada or purchase an existing business in Canada, there is a large variety of programs available depending on the type of business you want to open or purchase. Some programs require you to have a substantial personal net worth and invest a minimum of $200,000 or more into a business, while others have no financial requirements and focus more on your business plan and whether or not you have the finances available to support your business plan. With most of these options, you would first, be issued with a temporary work permit, and then if your business was successful, you would be able to transition to permanent residency. These programs would also be used by anyone looking to own and operate a farm in Canada.